ew. Great
honour was now hers after her mickle dole.

Howso freely the others gave, it was but a wind compared with Dietrich.
What Botlung's son had given him was no wall spent. The open hand of
Rudeger also did great wonders. Prince Bloedel, too, of Hungary, bade
empty many a travelling chest, and scatter freely both silver and gold.
Right merrily lived the warriors of the king. Werbel and Schwemmel, the
court minstrels, won, each, at the hightide, when Kriemhild wore the
crown beside Etzel, a thousand marks or more.

On the eighteenth morning they rode away from Vienna. Many a shield was
pierced in knightly encounter by the spears which the heroes bare in
their hands. So Etzel returned to the land of the Huns rejoicing. They
stayed the night at ancient Haimburg. None could number the host, nor
tell how many strong they rode through the land. Ha! what beautiful
women they found waiting them in their home! At Misenburg, the wealthy
city, they went aboard ships. The water was covered with horses and men,
as if the dry land had begun to float. There the way-weary women had
ease and comfort. The good ships were lashed together, that wave and
water might not hurt them, and fair awnings were stretched above, as they
had been still on the plain.

When word thereof came to Etzel's castle, both women and men rejoiced.
Etzel's household, that Helca had aforetime ruled, passed many a happy
day with Kriemhild. Noble maidens stood waiting, that since Helca's
death had suffered heart's dole. Kriemhild found there seven kings'
daughters that were for an adornment to Etzel's whole land. The charge
of the damsels was with Herrat, Helca's sister's daughter, famed for
virtue, and the betrothed of Dietrich, a noble king's child, the daughter
of Nentwine; the which afterward had much worship. Glad of her cheer was
she at the coming of the guests, and many a goodly thing was made ready.
What tongue might tell how merrily King Etzel dwelled there? Never under
any queen fared the Huns better.

When the king rode up with his wife from the strand, Kriemhild was told
the name of them that led forward the maidens, that she might greet them
the more fitly. Ha! how mightily she ruled in Helca's stead! She had
true servants in plenty. The queen gave gold and vesture, silver and
precious stones. All that she had brought with her from over the Rhine
to the Huns, she divided among them. All the king's kinsmen and liegemen
vow